


The Bridge

by ladydragon76



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Fanfiction, Gen, M/M, Warning: Disturbing Mental Images, Warning: violence, character: mirage, genre: horror, rating: R - Freeform, verse: g1, warning: au, warning: character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-17
Updated: 2012-04-17
Packaged: 2017-11-03 19:45:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/385179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydragon76/pseuds/ladydragon76
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Summary:</b> Twisting <i>The Legend of Sleepy Hollow</i>.  Written for ’s <a href="http://competition-fun.livejournal.com/10511.html">Shatter the Glass Darkly, and Tell Us a Ghost Story!</a> contest, and originally posted <a href="http://competition-fun.livejournal.com/11507.html">here</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Bridge

**Author's Note:**

> **Warnings:** OC character death, disturbing images

**Title:** The Bridge  
 **Verse:** G1  
 **Series:** None  
 **Rating:** R  
 **Characters:** Mirage  
 **Summary:** Twisting _The Legend of Sleepy Hollow_. Written for ’s [Shatter the Glass Darkly, and Tell Us a Ghost Story!](http://competition-fun.livejournal.com/10511.html) contest, and originally posted [here](http://competition-fun.livejournal.com/11507.html).  
 **Warnings:** OC character death, disturbing images

 

**The Bridge**

 

“Ugh! This high grade is just _awful_!”

“Coming here was your idea.”

Mirage shook his helm as Silver and Mist argued. They had been at it most of the evening. The high grade _did_ taste like paint thinner, not that Mirage had _ever_ tasted paint thinner, but he could imagine. The treats were subpar at best, and the ‘music’ was atrocious. But what else could one expect when slumming it?

“We could always leave,” Mirage suggested.

“Nonsense.”

“It is far too early,” Mist agreed.

Mirage rolled his optics, and took another sip of his high grade.

“I would not leave now, regardless,” Silver said, frame shivering slightly.

“Why not?” Mist asked, tone bored as his optics roved the dance floor.

“The monsters, of course.”

Mirage and Mist both turned annoyed frowns on Silver. “Nonsense!”

“Pshaw!” Mist scoffed.

“Fine, don’t believe me then.”

“I do not. Monsters? Ridiculous, Silver. How much of that high grade have you had?”

Mirage snickered at them. “Where would you get such a silly notion from?”

“It is not some silly notion! It’s true! Any mech that tries to cross the Abyss Bridge when Pyrixis is in retrograde will be taken by the monsters that live under it. One’s only hope is to race across the bridge. If one is fast enough to reach the other side before the monsters catch him, he’ll be safe.” Silver shivered again, wrapping his arms over his chest.

“You are drunk.”

“Or something,” Mirage added. “What utter nonsense, and Mist and I refuse to fall for it.”

Silver stuck his lip out in a pout, then shoved Mist away as he crooned mockingly and tried to loop an arm around his shoulders. “Fine if you don’t believe. Then a dare. I dare you both to cross the bridge! We shall see who is silly and making up stories then!”

Mist rolled his optics and heaved a sigh. “Forget it. I am not about to endure one of your pranks.”

“This is no prank!” Silver jerked away again, all affront and insulted integrity.

“I shall take that dare,” Mirage said, and finished the last of his high grade. It was barely enough to make his circuits buzz, but burned in the back of his throat. It was all he could do not to cough. Primus, he was going _smell_ like that all night, wasn’t he? “What do I get when I reach my home unscathed and untraumatized?”

“ _If_ you get home, I’ll let you have first choice from the next brood of turbopups Maximus sparks. You must walk too. No fair cheating taking the transport or driving in your alternate form.” Silver huffed, tossed his helm. “Of course, should you not make it, I shall name the best one of the brood Mirage, in honor of your bravery.”

Mist snickered. “So melodramatic! Go, Mirage. We shall see you at your home shortly, and drink _real_ high grade while laughing at this fool.” He clapped Silver on his shoulder, earning a low growl.

Mirage shook his helm at them. “Indeed. See you both soon.”

~ | ~

Mirage could admit, to himself only, that it was rather… creepy. Walking alone, in the silent dark, the shadows seemed to reach for him. The disconcerting mood only increased as he neared the Abyss Bridge. The stars were barely visible, public lighting was almost nonexistent here. There were not even any local mechs. No poor out begging.

Mirage shivered, found his pace flagging, and hastened. If he took too long getting home, Silver and Mist would laugh themselves sick at him. He squared his shoulders. There was nothing to fear here. Shadows and illusion, games his mind played on him because he was not accustomed to such a place.

Still, the Abyss Bridge was ancient. It was in an advanced state of disrepair, Mirage would swear that it was growing rust, but did not want to dwell on the thought. He was taking a very hot oil bath the moment he got home!

Taking a bracing breath, Mirage set one foot on the bridge, far more concerned now with it holding than whether monsters were real or not. It held, and with heavy sigh, Mirage began to walk, slowly. The Abyss itself was wide and immeasurably deep. Enough to set any mech’s spark to pulsing in trepidation. Mirage bit his lip, and inched his way forward, ready to dart back to the safety of land at a moment’s notice.

The scuff of sound behind Mirage was loud in the encompassing silence. Mirage stiffened, looking down at his feet at first, afraid the bridge was giving. He turned, and the sight sent ice through his lines. A great… thing, grey and grotesque, lumbered onto the bridge. Mirage stumbled back, a short cry escaping him.

Then the monster charged!

Mirage whipped around with a scream and ran. Heavy footfalls galloped after him, gaining despite Mirage’s terrified pace. He set his optics on the far side of the bridge, and did his best to concentrate on placing one foot solidly in front of the other.

Mirage glanced back, screaming again as something- Oh Primus! A _head_! And it was on _fire_!- was thrown at him. He tripped over a rough edge and flew through the air with another scream. He landed hard on the ground, but scrambled back to his feet to flee again. It was then that he heard laughter, and turned back.

Beside him on the ground, still rocking back and forth, was not a flaming head, but a vaguely head-shaped lump of burning scrap metal. On the bridge, pulling away their own scrap plating, were Mist and Silver. “Don’t scream, darling! We won’t really eat you.”

They laughed more, and Mirage angrily brushed the tears of terror from his cheeks. He opened his mouth to berate them for such an cruel prank, but something else caught his optics. Shadows shifted behind the laughing mechs, and Mirage took a step back, his hand lifting to point.

“Oh, please, Mirage! You don’t actually think we would fall for that?” Silver dropped a metal plate, and laughed.

Mist giggled, then laughed harder as Mirage squeaked, backing up another step. Mirage shook his helm slowly, not at all pretending as a misshapen form detached itself from the darkness. Silver must have seen something at the last moment because he flinched aside. They both watched as Mist was grabbed by two huge claws. His scream was cut off as his head was torn from his body.

Mirage opened his mouth to shout, but it was too late. Silver was grabbed up by a second shadow. He didn’t even get a chance to cry out as sharp teeth flashed, then sunk into his neck. Pale optics stared upside down at Mirage, Silver’s torn-out throat sparking, blood raining down past the… thing’s mouth to patter on the bridge.

Mirage stood frozen in place, shock and horror taking away all thoughts but one.

He was across the Abyss Bridge, and was therefore safe.

Except there was a scuff sound to his left, then a low groan. Mirage slowly turned his head to look, gasping and staggering back as the monster lurched toward him. He stumbled and fell again, but this time remembered he had his hunting gear still attached.

Mirage activated the electro-disruptor, then rolled to the side. A wan bar of light fell over the monster, and Mirage gasped. He scrambled back farther, but it followed, head turning toward him, hollows where optics should have been tracking Mirage. It shuffled after him, clawed hands opening and closing on the air as it reached.

Mirage scrabbled to his feet, twisted, and dove into his alternate form. Needing the energy for precious speed, he dropped the cloak, and didn’t stop running until he reached the Towers, not even when the Security Forces began to chase him.

Mirage transformed, frantically keying in his code to his home’s side door.

“Hey! What’s the hurry?!”

Mirage twisted around, startled that anyone had followed him so far in. Usually nobles were not charged unless they had caused damage, and Mirage knew he hadn’t. The roadways had been so empty tonight. His door opened behind him, and he stepped back. “You would never believe me,” he said, voice thick with tears. “Never in a million vorn!”

The Security Enforcer relaxed his stance, hands up to show he wasn’t a threat. “You look real rattled. Someone try to hurt you?” His optics roamed over Mirage’s frame.

“Yes,” Mirage whispered. “They killed Mist and Silver. One came for me.” He stepped back again, shaking so hard his plating began to ring.

“Wait! Wait, mechs have been killed?!” The Enforcer activated his comm. “ _Enforcer three-seven-nine-alpha-eight, calling in to report a double homicide._ ”

Mirage whimpered, stepping back farther. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t!

“Hey. Hey!” Mirage looked back to the Enforcer. “Describe the assailants for me?”

Mirage shook his helm. “Large. Dead grey.” He hiccupped a sob. “The one tore Mist’s head right off. The other bit right into Silver’s neck. Almost all the way thr-through. It had no optics, but still knew where I was!”

The Enforcer’s concerned look dropped away, his lips pressing into a thin, unamused line. “ _Hold on for me a tick._ ” He pinned Mirage with a glare. “How drunk are you?” He sniffed in Mirage’s direction. “Have you taken any stims tonight?”

Mirage’s mouth dropped open. “Of course not! I’m not drunk at all! I watched those _things_ kill my friends!”

“ _No, no. Just a high Towerling having a bad trip. Yeah. Later._ ” The Enforcer sighed. “Empties, kid? You’re saying Empties got your pals? What? Let me guess. Down by the Abyss Bridge?” He snorted, but beneath that sound Mirage heard a scuff. Then a low groan. “You know you’ve been pranked, right?”

Mirage covered his mouth, pointing behind the Enforcer, his hand not completely covering the high squeal of fright as _it_ came around the corner.

“Come on, mech. Get ahold of yourself alrea-aaahhhh!“

Mirage screamed too, slamming his palm on the keypad as the Empty grabbed the Enforcer and bit his neck. The door slid shut, clawed fingers reaching for Mirage and screeching down the metal of the door. Mirage sank to the floor, sobbing as heavy thumps rattled the door, hungry groans echoing in his audials.

~ | ~

**([Table of Contents](http://ladydragon76.livejournal.com/6214.html) )**

  
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